US 6,205,826 B1Granted

Lockout device

AssigneeNeelchine Engineering, Inc.

InventorRocky E. Neeley

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A lockout device to prevent tampering with the manually set position of a valve or regulator or other device having a rotatable shaft for adjusting, for example, the flow of fluid through the device, from a position initially set to some other position. The lockout device is usable with a wide range of standard valves and regulators which have a drive stem and includes a drive gear that engages the drive stem and includes a drive gear that engages the drive stem and a key locking device mounted in a generally cylindrical handle of the lockout device and being selectively movable from a first position in which the handle free-wheels relative to the drive stem of the valve so as to prevent unauthorized moving of the rotational position of the valve stem by any person not having a key to an engaging position in which the handle is locked to the drive stem to permit ordinary rotational movement and setting of the valve stem position.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A lockout device for use with an energy controlling apparatus, such as a valve or regulator, having a rotatable shaft that may be manually set at a desired position to control the flow of energy through said apparatus, the device preventing further rotation of the shaft, comprising:

a generally cylindrical handle body having an opening at its lower end for receiving the rotatable shaft and a second cylindrical opening in the upper end;
a central bore connecting said lower opening in said handle body with the upper surface of said handle body and including a shoulder;
a first locking mechanism mounted in and selectively engageable with said handle body, said first locking mechanism comprising a flat plate comprising at least one opening for receiving a personal locking device;
and
a second locking mechanism selectively engageable with said handle body and mountable on said handle body so as overlie the said first locking mechanism, said second locking mechanism comprising a flat plate comprising at least one opening for receiving a personal locking device;
whereby said first and second locking mechanisms are rotatable such that said openings are in registry.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/395,714Filed 14 Sep 1999 · division
Priority: 3 Oct 1994
Granted: 27 Mar 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

F16K 35/06
Means to prevent accidental or unauthorised actuation: using a removable actuating or locking member, e.g. a key
E05B 13/001
Devices preventing the key or the handle or both from being used: covers preventing access to handles or keys
E05B 13/101
Formed by a lock arranged in the handle: for disconnecting the handle
F16K 35/10
Means to prevent accidental or unauthorised actuation: with locking caps or locking bars

Family

Application08/317,127Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 3 Oct 1994
Application08/656,403Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 May 1996
Application08/845,680Parent of this division · filed 25 Apr 1997
US 5,950,462 AParent of this division
Application08/845,680Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,664,447 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,205,826 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.